2012 New Years Resolutions

New Year's Resolutions

Last year I came up with a few resolutions. Today I had fun looking back and seeing which ones I accomplished (yay!) and the ones I'm still working on (at least I haven't totally given up), and which ones I can carry over to 2012. And now it's time to come up with some more!

2011 New Year's Resolutions

1. Receive representation for my book
Hasn't happened yet. Sigh.

But. i. will. not. give. up.

I have learned so much about my writing and have been fortunate so many agents have liked my story and have taken the time to offer personal feedback. It's rare for me to get form rejections. Every time I get a rejection, I also get a list or paragraph of ways to improve my book. To me, that's not rejection, it's opportunity. Currently, I'm revising once again! A work in progress, I suppose. But someday I will have my book in my hands. I will be bouncing all over shouting "I DID IT! I DID THIS!" all the while smelling the pages. Ahhh.

2. Travel somewhere new
That would have been Riviera Maya, Mexico, in February with Karl's family. So much fun!

My new destination in 2011 - Riviera Maya, Mexico!

3. Start a family
That happened in August...yay!

Pregnant!

4. Start a recipe portfolio/blog
I'm surprised I stuck with this and now I really enjoy my recipe blog! I simply enjoy blogging! I could do this full time. Ha! Will be continuing this into 2012 for sure.

Kicked off Food Blog in 2011!

5. Get an article in a big magazine
I tried, but no dice. I want to focus on this more in 2012. I love reading articles in magazines. I think it would be so cool if I saw an article written by me published in one of those magazines I so often read! I'll keep trying and see what happens.

6. Say "no" more and do things for me
Once I found out I was preg, I was definitely saying "no" more and I'm totally OK with it now! I love having more free time. I'm doing things I WANT TO DO! And that makes me happy! Isn't that what we all want  - to be happy? Who the heck was I trying to impress this whole time?

Playing Kubb in Kansas...just because!

7. Get organized
I think we've had Lupus and the Vets and some other donation places come to our house at least six times this year. We have donated so much stuff. Remember we turned two town homes into one, so there were lots of goodies. We keep purging and I hope to do this more and more! Stuff be gone! Now my next step is to get rid of the clutter so baby doesn't have to worry about knocking things over, or I don't have to worry about baby getting knocked over by stuff... We continue to watch Hoarders to help with this.

8. Stop biting my nails
Yeah, right...dream on!

9. Flush out the bad with the good
I did a metal detox before I became pregnant to get out all the heavy metals that might have been in my system. Who knows if it worked, but all I know is I did get pregnant right away!

And now...drum roll....

2012 New Year's Resolutions

1. Keep working on my book and receive representation
I am NOT giving up on this dream. Sorry. I started on book number two as well. But my focus is on getting book number one to perfection and into the right agent's hands. If not, I might start reading more about self-publishing.

Bigger goal - write full time (sometimes in coffee shops) and be able to focus on family more. Have book signings...maybe even one at the Mall of America:) 

2. Publish an article in a magazine
I think a lot about stuff. Life. Death. Relationships. Chasing after dreams. I also realized something about myself this past year...I'm very observant when it comes to people, how they were brought up and how they handle situations and how it effects them and those around them. Then I analyze. I don't know if this observation thing is something that comes with age, but I see things I realize others don't. And then I like to write about them.

3. Be the best mom I can be
I'm not sure how I can measure this, but I'm going to gauge it on happiness. Am I waking up most every morning with happiness bubbling over in my heart? Are those around me super happy too? If so, then I'm doing my job. Am I constantly worrying, trying to keep up, stressing out, beating myself down? Then I am NOT doing my job. Babies can pick up on anxiety and all that negative crap. I figure all baby really needs is love and attention (well food and clothes too). That's it. And that's what I plan to give him/her.

Bigger goal: Be able to hire a cleaning service, freeing up time to have more fun!

4. Set up special date nights with my sweetheart at least once a month
As I was revamping my blog, I was going through pictures of all the trips and adventures Karl and I have been on together, and I thought to myself..."Dang, we have a pretty sweet relationship. We do such awesome things! Will those things have to end now?"

At Mount St Helens

Then I was telling him the other day that sometimes I spend 30 minutes of my commute into work thinking of him. His laugh. His smile. His smell. (I'm so warped, I know.) I just want to make sure I'm never taking a second of my life with him for granted. I know how it feels when someone you love walks away from everything you believed in and I vowed I would live each and every day to the max with Karl.

AND, I also know we're in for a treat with a baby. This is going to be a huge (and I mean HUGE) adjustment for us - financially, emotionally and mentally. And I don't want to lose that special bond we have. I want to keep things fun and exciting...and adventurous. So I want to make sure we carve out time for Christie and Karl, even if it's somewhere silly. Just the two of us.

5. Travel somewhere new
I want to do this every year. I don't know how we're going to do it [financially], but I'm putting it down anyway. This is a big world and there is so much beauty to see. I don't want to miss any of it!

Bigger goal: Get on The Amazing Race with Karl. I dream big!

Kind of always had a soft spot for Tahiti and Bora Bora....

6. Be in the best shape I can be
The weight is pouring on right now and it's hard for me. It's hard for me to find the time and energy to get to the gym. I could be better about it, but I haven't been. And once baby comes and I'm back working, how could I possibly go to the gym too? I don't know what my plan is to get back into shape, but I want to at least get some physical activity in three to four times a week as a family. I know I'm probably going to have to lose my trainer and maybe even my gym membership to pay for daycare, but nothing is more important than health. Without it, life...well...doesn't really exist.

7. Do something kind for someone once a month
I know...once a month sounds terrible. I should be kind all the time! But I'm talking about doing something out of the blue for a friend, or maybe even a stranger. Just reaching out to that person who's struggling or going through a rough time....or even celebrating a huge success. I want to take a moment to write them a note and do something that will make them realize they aren't alone, they can do anything they put their mind to and nothing - setbacks, heartbreak, loss  - can stand in the way. Or even invite them over for dinner or something just to talk and have some sense of community.

Bigger goal: Eventually get into a business of designing and writing inspirational greeting cards for people.

8. Get Photos in Photobooks
I want to create those Snapfish, Kodak Gallery (etc) photobook albums of our trips. I have pictures saved on my portable hard drive, but no albums. I especially want to keep up with creating photo books of baby and his/her milestones and keeping both grandparents involved so they have something tangible to hang on too as well.

9. Blog about our Fun Trips and Adventures
Karl and I have been on so many great trips. I have all of them down in journals all over our room, but I wanted to get them up on this blog with pictures to go with them. I think this could be a fun project I could possibly do when I'm on maternity leave, but we will see!

10. Start Working on my Middle Grade Book Series
I have a pretty cool idea for a Middle Grade book series. I need to get this down on paper and outline each book. I'm assuming I won't be able to start writing these books this year, but I want to begin thinking about moving this forward. I need to read more Middle Grade books first, but I'm getting excited about this!

11. 'Blast off' in my Career
It is time. If I have to work and sit behind a desk all day, I want to be happy. Why can't I? And that means doing what I love. I deserve to love what I do. I want to shine. I want to make a difference. I want to knock my own socks off in 2012.  

What are some of your New Year's Resolutions?

"If we celebrate the years behind us, they become stepping stones of strength and joy for the years ahead."

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Pregnant Belly Getting Bigger - Month 6

24 weeks

Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon. (www.babycenter.com)

The Latest

Oh baby, I'm definitely growing! Sometimes I feel like my stomach has grown overnight. I've been going through the cocoa butter like crazy - morning and night. Be gone stretch marks!

Remember that post I had last week about the flu? Well, I did catch some sort of bug on Christmas Eve. Thankfully it wasn't as bad as my parent's - it was like a war zone in our house. Wow. I felt so bad that my parents had to feel so crappy! I basically ended up with a fever and felt extremely lethargic. I couldn't keep my eyes open. I figured my body was fighting off what it could. So I slept for a good couple days. I tried hard to force food and liquids down, but my stomach wouldn't have it. Finally come Tuesday morning, I could eat again. I think baby was happy about that. It's NOT good to be and feel dehydrated while pregnant. Ish!

Christmas, other than most of us being sick, was great. I love love love spending time with my family. My younger brother Mark and sister-in-law Tot came up from Kansas with their dog, Kacey. I just love her so much. Isn't she so adorable??

Kacey - my brother and sister in law's dog

I guess my parents, brothers, Tot and Karl all played games while I was sleeping. Only my favorite thing to do when we get together!!!!! But I was able to get out of bed on Christmas Day and spend time chatting with them. So that was good. And Mark was able to sketch some animals on the walls of the nursery before he left. I can't wait to paint those crazy monkeys. My dad wasn't able to finish painting the nursery, though he got a lot done even being sick. He is so awesome. Karl and I plan to finish this weekend! I can't WAIT for you guys to see the end results. Mark and Tot said the nursery gave them A.D.D when they walked in. WHATEVER!!!

My first shower is coming up, and I'm getting really excited for that. I'm more excited about seeing family and friends though. I can't wait!!!! I will be taking lots of pictures for sure!

Other than the little bug, I've been feeling really good. I've been sleeping great this week, which I love. I haven't been craving too many things...okay, I love Qdoba right now (love their grilled veggies) and every night I need two Cuties for my snack. I love those little oranges!

Baby is kicking more and more and loves the sound of his/her dad's voice. That's when he/she moves the most. I love it! Karl does too!

We also received our first shower gift for Baby K via UPS last week! That was pretty cool. And my brothers and Tot bought Baby K his/her first book for baby's library!! YAY! I am so excited to read stories together.

I can't believe the year is coming to a close. Time to write out those New Year's Resolutions for 2012...

              

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Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken

Quickest dinner ever!

Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken
serves 5 - 6
recipe found on Real Housewife in Minnesota Blog

Delicious Sweet and Sour Chicken (healthier version)

1 pound Chicken (cooked and diced) *I used a rotisserie chicken
3 cups frozen stir-fry vegetables
1 8 oz can diced pineapples
1/2 Cup Sweet and Sour Sauce
2 cups uncooked rice *Instead of rice, I wanted to try cooking Thai Rice Noodles which worked great!
1 cup water

1. Dice and cook your chicken breasts. Stick them on the grill for 10 minutes, or in your pan with some cooking oil for a few minutes.

2. Add the diced pineapple (don't drain it before-hand, add the juice and everything. This gives it lots of flavor)

3. Throw in the vegetables and sweet and sour sauce. Stir so everything is coated in the sauce. Heat until the sauce begins to boil (about 3-4 minutes only. You're also getting the veggies cooked during this time)

4. Add in the uncooked rice and water. Stir well so the rice is covered in the sauce/veggie mixture. Cover and let it simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes. You may need a few more minutes here, but five is a good guess. Try out the rice and once it's cooked; you're good to go!

Karl's reaction: "This is good! Much better with a little more sauce added to it. I like it, babe."

My take: So incredibly easy to make, how can I not make this again? And it's loaded with veggies!!

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Things to Do Before Baby Arrives - Month 6

24 weeks

Planning ahead

So I've always been a bit of a planner. I mean...did you attend our wedding? Ha! Planning for a baby is hard for me because I'm beyond clueless. I've been reading loads of books and surfing the web for as much information as I can, but I know nothing is truly going to prepare me. Super Nanny is helping too! Any bit helps, right? I find myself asking anyone I can for advice. The good advice. Not the scary stuff or horror stories that people will freely give up.

Things I have yet to do before baby arrives:

1. Secure a daycare
I found two places I love. (Try to hear/feel my excitement.) I am working on it! This is SO hard. I just wish I could stay home or at least go part time. Hoping for something to work out, but we will see. Anyway, one place is in-house and one is a center. The difference in costs is around $400 a month, which is about $5000 in savings a year. **gasp** But I know this isn't all about the money for me - it's about the care! Still...wowee!!!

So right now it's trying to come up with a decision of what we want to do, and what we can afford. It seems the average costs for centers in the Cities is about $300 a week. Just a heads up for those planning to have babies. That leads me to my next item. 

2. Create a budget
Karl has had his own excel spreadsheet of numbers since he can remember and I basically pay the bills addressed to both of us as they come in. I have yet to pay one late or not in full! That's what I always did when I had my own place, but now I added both our names to our bills so there isn't that "his and her" account. We share now! But Karl takes care of his own bills as they come in addressed to him but the money comes from our shared account. Probably not the best way to go about it, but after seeing a financial planner and getting on track, I know we save enough in plenty of different areas and we have enough left over in our account to get us through week by week. However, with daycare costs, we're going to be quite tight. And I mean tight. Especially with me having a car with as many miles on it. How much longer will she hang on? So it's time I put both our expenses together and get a spreadsheet going so we are much more wiser with our money. Why does money have to be so stressful?

3. Make a Will
We need both - a living will and a will. We've put this off for too long and it's time. I'm searching for a lawyer right now who can make one up for the both of us. Most importantly we don't want to leave baby hanging if anything should happen to us, that's for sure!

4. Take Classes
The hospital we'll be having Baby K at offers several classes. One I need to take is on breast feeding. I hear people say it's an awesome experience, but thankfully all the books I've been reading and new moms I've been talking to have been super honest with me, saying that breast feeding is VERY painful. And the first two weeks can suck. So do not give up. And do not feel like you're broken in some way. It takes time! I still want to take a class.

I've also been reading Heading Home with Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality. I like this book a lot. I also want both of us to take a class on car seat safety and how to install those suckers. And also a class on what to expect with baby. How things will change and what to do with those explosive poops. The thing that stinks (no pun intended from that last sentence) is I'm CPR certified until May 2012. So I wonder if I should take another refresher course...

5. Arrange a Cleaning Service
Thanks MOM! I have selected you (and dad) to help us the first week or two after baby is born so I know what the heck to do with myself...and have a clean house and some food on the stove when we come home! I remember my mom saying she felt so alone after my older brother was born since her entire family lived in Arizona. It was just her and my dad and he went right back to work. She didn't know what to do.She kept saying, "now what?" I'm sure I'll figure it out, but it'll be nice just to have those extra pair of hands there helping with baby and housework...and getting me used to things.... Plus, my mom finds dirt in places I would never know to look. I mean, this woman KNOWS how to clean a toilet.

6. Get Things Ready at Work (i.e. Maternity Leave)
I plan to take 12 weeks off but I need to get this in writing. I need to figure out the FMLA stuff and short term disability and benefits and what happens with my 401K and all that so nobody is left wondering what's going on. I started a spreadsheet of all the tasks I do every day of the week, hoping that will help my coworkers, boss and me! And I want to discuss the transition back into work after having those 12 weeks off. I'm glad I'm coming back in the summer when most everyone at my company works less hours.

7. Selecting a Pediatrician
Thankfully I have this really awesome friend Jill who delivered all three of her babies at St. Francis and recommended her doctor, Dr. Druckman, to us. We also found out he won the big Capstone award during our ultrasound, so we really got a good one!! Jill also recommended her pediatrician too! So we will most definitely be checking him out! Dr. Westholder, for those in Shakopee.

8. Forming a mom's group
I'm working on this right now. Right now I'm focusing on young moms from my church and I have a few women already who are super excited about this. I want to meet at least once a month just to talk about all the things that happen once you become a parent and bounce ideas off one another. I want that support group for all of us - a place to feel safe and welcome - a place where we can share what's on our minds and relate to one another...and share our faith too. I think that's very important.

9. Clean and Purge
Our carpets need some serious cleaning and I'm wondering if now is the time to get that done? I have also heard that some of those carpet cleaning chemicals can cause autism in babies. I know... I know... I think of everything. But think of John Travolta's son Jet! They blamed his autism on the carpet cleaning! What to do? We have been purging a lot the past several months, but I'm thinking about doing another big purge. I would also love to get some furniture to hide the clutter in our kitchen area (i.e. alcohol) and picture frames and candles all over the coffee table in the family room. What baby isn't going to knock that stuff over?

10. Register for recalls
I just did this now. Went to Consumer Product Safety Commission (www.CPSC.gov) and signed up so I'll be informed of all the latest recalls as they come out. Oh, and of course I'm now following them on Twitter.

11. Sleep - Get Lots of it ...and maybe a prenatal massage here and there...
It feels weird for me to nap. But I'm doing it. And I'm going to keep at it because I love sleep and I know it's going to be few and far between for awhile there. I also got my first prenatal massage and it was wonderful. An awesome friend gave me a gift card and I couldn't wait to use it! Now, it was nothing like a deep tissue massage, but still soothing. The great part? My massage therapist said she was a student at Minnesota School of Business in Lakeville and they are ALWAYS looking for pregnant woman to give massages on. You better believe I'm calling them! Free massage? Ummm...yes, please!

Am I missing anything?  Let me know!!!

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Making My Day - Month Six

Cheese!

24 weeks

I just have to post this picture of little Baby Koester because I find myself talking to him/her everytime I look at it. This picture is just too cute!! It was actually from the video from our 20-week ultrasound and I took a picture snip-it. He/she is smiling!!!!!!!!!!!! My heart totally melts every single time.

I mean, when you're having a bad day, just look at this little cutie pie! I picture him/her laughing inside me. Maybe cuz he heard his/her dad laughing and just had to join in.

Baby K giggling in my belly! I can't wait to meet him/her!!!!!!!

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North Woods Bean Soup

North Woods Bean Soup
serves 4
recipe found on My Recipe.com site.

Cooking spray

1 cup baby carrots, halved

1 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

7 ounces turkey kielbasa, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 (15.8-ounce) cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

1 (6-ounce) bag fresh baby spinach leaves

1.  Heat a large saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onion, garlic, and kielbasa; sauté 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium; cook 5 minutes. Add the broth, Italian seasoning, pepper, and beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.

2. Place 2 cups of the soup in a food processor or blender, and process until smooth. Return the pureed mixture to pan. Simmer an additional 5 minutes. Remove soup from heat. Add the spinach, stirring until spinach wilts.

Karl's reaction: "Oh, man. We're having soup tonight?" **grumble grumble** "Wait, this is pretty good. Actually this is really good. I think I need more."

My take: REALLY good soup. Loved this. Super quick and easy.

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Quick Healthy Breakfast Casserole

Tasty breakfast casserole goes a long way
serves 8-12
recipe from a church friend

1 dozen eggs

1 cup milk
1 1/2 cup water
1 tsp dry mustard
1 bag of Simply Potatoes Hash Browns
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Bacon or other goodies

1. Mix all ingredients together and pour into casserole or cake pan and bake at 350 F for one hour.

2. Add bacon bits (I used real bacon) after it is in pan. I also added mushrooms, green, red and yellow bell peppers.

Karl's reaction: "Probably could use just a little more salt but this is really good."

My take: I love this recipe. It's easy to make and tastes great. It also feeds a lot of people.

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